TopColors #32 is for the armor fan and specifically for the Panzer IV and variants. This set includes a total of 16 different vehicles. Like others in the series it is tough to categorize, but since it has decals in it, that is where I place it.

Each of the 16 vehicles has a page devoted to it with a full page color profile and often with either detail images, a photo of the real vehicle or both included. Each one of these has a small history of the vehicles depicted in both English and Polish.

Here is what is included:

- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F2 (G) coded 1233 of III./Pz.Rg.24, 24th Panzer Division, southern Russia, summer 1942,

- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F2 (G) coded B11 of Pz.Rgt.29, 12th Panzer Division, Ssinjawino, Russia, spring 1943,

- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. G coded 623 of II./Pz.Rgt.15, 11th Panzer Division, the battle of Kursk, Russia, July 1943,

- Befehlswagen IV Ausf. G coded 055 of Stab/SS-Pz.Rgt.1, 1st SS Panzer Division LSSAH, tank commander: SS-Ostubaf. Joachim Peiper, Zhitomir area, Ukraine, November 1943,

- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H/J coded 715 of the 7th company, II./Pz.Rgt. Hermann Göring, 1st Fallschirm-Panzer-Division Hermann Göring, Italy, spring 1944,

- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H/J coded 511 of II./Pz.Rgt. Großdeutschland, tank commander: Oblt. Hans-Joachim Jung, the battle of Târgu Frumos, Romania, April-May 1944,

- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H coded 813 and named ‘Germaine’ of II./Pz.Rgt.26, 26th Panzer Division, Lanuvio area, Italy, May 1944,

- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H coded 821 and named ‘Gisela’ of an unknown unit, Eastern Front, 1944,

- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H coded 531 of II./Pz.Rgt.16, 116th Panzer Division, Normandy, August 1944,

- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J coded 732 of II./SS-Pz.Rgt.3, 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, Warsaw, early August 1944,

- Sturmpanzer IV coded 8 of Stu.Pz.Abt. 217, Aachen area, autumn 1944,

- Panzer IV/70 (A) coded 223 of II./Pz.Rgt. Großdeutschland attached to the Führer-Begleit-Brigade, Trier, Germany, January 1945,

- Sturmgeschütz IV coded 214 of an unknown unit, Eastern Front, winter of 1944-1945,

- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J coded 831 of II./ Pz.Rgt.31, 5th Panzer Division, Königsberg area, East Prussia, March 1945,

- Panzer IV/70 (V) coded 522 of an unknown unit, Germany, May 1945,

- Befehlswagen Panzer IV/70 (V) coded 101 of s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 655, Oldenburg, Germany, May 1945

 Typical of the series, Kagero offers you decals for each one depicted. In this case, the markings are in 1/72, 1/48, and 1/35. They are superbly printed and I detected no issues with registration.  As armor is generally minimally marked, the dedicated panzer IV modeler, if using all three scales, could complete a whopping 48 models with this sheet.

When you consider that the average cost of a decal sheet or a book alone, this one is a real bargain.

February 2013

Review book courtesy of the fine folks at Kagero. You can get yours at the link. 

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.